Re: Giro d’Italia
He is 8/1 now with Stan James. Incidentally if you place a reader with them it is top five which is a lot better than paddy power. Real test for Di Luca will be in the mountains. He is expected to lose time there.
Re: Giro d’Italia
Piper did you watch that today - seems Nicholas Roche had a crack at winning the stage with an escape attempy 1km from the end but got reeled in.
Re: Giro d’Italia
No I missed it due to work. Interesting to see Cunego and Simoni crashing though not hurt.
Italy, May 12-June 3, 2007
Main Page Results Overall standings Stage Details Live report Previous Stage Next Stage
Stage 3 - Monday, May 14: Barumini - Cagliari, 181 km
Finalmente Petacchi - Ale-Jet strikes back
Gaspa re-takes the Maglia Rosa
By Gregor Brown and Tim Maloney
‘Ale-Jet’ Alessandro Petacchi has returned to take revenge after a year of suffering. The 33 year-old Italian ended his Giro d’Italia last year with a fractured kneecap but, today, he returned to show that he still has the power to win on the big stage. The Milram sprinter took control in the final 300 metres to hold off an emerging Robert Frster (Gerolsteiner).
“I suffered so much,” said Petacchi in tears of joy. “I am so happy. I want to thank everyone that stuck with me for the last year; my wife, my family, my friend Michele Bartoli… Thanks; thanks to everyone.”
Milram once again dedicated its men to the chase to recapture the last two escapees. They worked hard to bring back Mikhail Ignatiev (Tinkoff Credit Systems) and Giovanni Visconti (Quickstep-Innergetic) with around four kilometres remaining and then setup the lead-out. But there were still doubts lingering after Petacchi’s stage two miss.
Following a counter-attack by Matteo Tosatto (Quickstep-Innergetic), Milram was washed away in the final kilometre. Rabobank and Gerolsteiner moved to the fore before Irishman Nicholas Roche (Crdit Agricole) launched. The move did not stick and Ale-Jet arrived to the front with 300 metres remaining.
He led down the left-hand side with Danilo Napolitano (Lampre-Fondital) on his wheel. The Lampre sprinter faded as Robert Frster (Gerolsteiner) moved up alongside the barriers. Petacchi held of the emerging German to win his first Giro stage since May 29, 2005.
“I had to restart my career from the top. I thought I had returned to full strength but to win a Giro stage is another thing. Winning this stage today seemed like winning my first stage,” Petacchi continued.
“Today, I really had better sensations and felt that I had better legs. It seemed as it was the best sprint in my career.”
Argentinean sprinter Maximiliano Richeze (Ceramica Panaria-Navigare) was not able to win but he did have some success. He held off Maglia Ciclamino wearer Robbie McEwen (Predictor-Lotto).
Enrico Gasparotto (Liquigas) tried his luck in the sprint and, although he did not win the stage, was rewarded with the Maglia Rosa. “Thanks to the work of the team and to my teammates,” said Gaspa who will trade in the Maglia Bianca of best young rider for the more prestigious race leader’s jersey.
“This morning we decided that Gasparotto would try for the sprint,” said Danilo Di Luca (Liquigas) who passed the leader’s jersey back to Gaspa, who had it for the fist day, after the team’s stage one win.
A crash marred the finish for big Norwegian sprinter Thor Hushovd (Crdit Agricole). He noted to a TV reporter that he was pushed by someone into the barriers. Damiano Cunego (Lampre-Fondital) and Gilberto Simoni (Saunier Duval-Prodir) were reportedly involved in the crash but both are suspected to be without injuries.
How it unfolded.
193 riders departed the town of Barumini in south-central Sardinia, near the world famous ancient archaeological site of Nuraghe su Nuraxi, constructed 3500 years ago. Quickstep’s Andrea Tonti didn’t start as he broke his nose in yesterday’s final kilometre crash, while T-Mobile’s Adam Hansen broke two fingers in a crash and was also a DNS.
Another warm and sunny day greeted the Giro gruppo on Stage 3 as temperatures were around thirty degrees. The action started right from the gun as it was Tinkoff on the move again, as Mikhail Ignatiev and Elio Aggiano attacked and were joined by Frenchmen Mickael Buffaz (Cofidis), and Alexandre Pichot (Bouygues Telecom) as well as Bettini’s protg Giovanni Visconti (Quickstep). There was a lukewarm chase but the quintet quickly gained ground on the gruppo as the road climbed east out of Barumini for the first 15 kilometres and the lead quickly jumped to five minutes in Nurri as the road began to descend after 30 kilometres.
Liquigas was on the front taking responsibility for its Maglia Rosa Danilo Di Luca but not chasing all out. At the tiny borgo of Ballao after 60 kilometres at the base of descent in Nurri, the five escapees gained their maximum advantage of 7’40". At the seaside feed zone, after 93 kilometres in Case Picci, the gap was stable at seven minutes. After lunch, the chase speed cranked up behind and with 70 kilometres to go near Camisa, the gap was now under six minutes.
Ignatiev attacked and only Visconti could follow as Buffaz, Aggiano and Pichot were quickly distanced and absorbed by the gruppo. Once the word came back to the gruppo that the break had split up, the sprinters teams from Predictor and Milram hit the front and begin to chase.
Two of the most talented young riders in cycling were away; 21 year-old Ignatiev, Olympic track gold medallist at 19, U23 World TT Champ and winner of Trofeo Laigueglia this season, and 24 year-old Visconti, originally from Palermo, Sicily, was Italian and European champion in 2004. Both riders were making their Giro d’Italia debuts in grand fashion.
At the Garibaldi intermediate sprint in Villasimius, near Capo Carbonara on the southeast tip of Sardinia, Ignatiev rolled across ahead of Visconti with the gap to the chasing gruppo at 5’30". The next 30 kilometres headed west towards Cagliari and were up and down with a tailwind on a beautiful coast road along the Gulf of Cagliari.
The temperatures were hot and the racing even hotter; the clear cool blue waters beckoned the riders but there was still a job of work to do for the two escapees and the chasing gruppo. Big Stefano Zanini of Predictor, the 37 year-old hammer-head, was pounding away on the coast road as the wind became a side-wind from the left.
At Solanas, with 37 kilometres to go, the two young talents were still hammering away off the front, but they had lost one minute, and with 13 kilometres to go they were now only 4’30" ahead. At the back of the peloton, an ailing Graeme Brown abandoned.
With the wind now favourable along the coast road and only 30 kilometres to go, the two escapees had a lead of 3’30" and Zaz Zanini was still humping hard on the front to keep Ignatiev and Visconti in check. With 23 kilometres to go near Flumini, the coast road finally flattened out and the chase pace behind cranked up again, but the lead was still over 3’00".
Crdit Agricole, CSC and Euskaltel-Euskadi had now joined the chase and the gruppo was lined out in Indian file at almost 60 km/h. With 20 kilometres the gap was 2’45" but the side-wind slowed the break while a double pace line was pulling back time - at 15 kilometres to go the gap was at 1’45", with one minute pulled back in five kilometres by the chase.
With Cagliari looming, the two front riders tried to hold off the thundering herd. At 10 kilometres to go, their lead was at 1’06" and falling fast as Milram and Liquigas were powering away on the front of the chasing gruppo. Ignatiev’s power was starting to tell on Visconti as the Italian was skipping some pulls on the Tinkoff Russian.
As the break passed Poeto beach with eight kilometres remaining, the gap was now down to 40" and Ignatiev was going all out, with Visconti hanging on for dear life. But the Milram-led gruppo had the duo in their sights on the wide beach road and at five kilometres to race the gig was up. Visconti and Ignatiev sat up with four kilometres to go and the fireworks were about to begin. 33 year-old Matteo Tosatto (Quickstep) made a solo move at 3500 metres to go but the orange crush of Rabobank reeled him back after one kilometre of liberty.
As the last kilometre began, it was Caisse d’Epargne that was trying to come up on Milram, with T-Mobile’s Greg Henderson in the mix. As Nicolas Roche (Crdit Agricole) gapped off the front in a blown lead-out for his team leader Thor Hushovd, there was suddenly a crash which involved Hushovd, Cunego and Simoni but everybody was fine except the big Norwegian who lost some elbow skin.
As the sprinters hit the granite paving blocks, Roche was caught and the Milram train functioned perfectly again. Lampre’s Napolitano tried to anticipate Petacchi, but Petacchi was ready and moved left on the smoothest part of the road to begin his inexorable progression towards the finish line. Unlike yesterday’s sprint, where the Milram man was using his 53x12, stage 3 was classic Petacchi, where the La Spezia speedster found his 11 tooth gear and his championship legs to win the stage.
Petacchi took over the Maglia Ciclamino of points leader from his rival McEwen while taking his 20th career stage win in the Giro d’Italia.
Stage 4 will start south of Naples in Salerno, the capital of Campania province, and then it will head due east on the beautiful, dramatic roads of the Amalfi Coast. It will pass through the Soprano Family’s home town of Avellino before the final climb to Montevergine di Mercogliano. The twisting final ascent over 17.1 kilometres is where Damiano Cunego won in 2004 and once again, the Lampre-Fondital rider could be the man to beat on the day but watch out for Stefano Garzelli.
Results
1 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Milram
2 Robert Frster (Ger) Gerolsteiner
3 Maximiliano Richeze (Arg) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare
4 Robbie McEwen (Aus) Predictor-Lotto
General classification after stage 3
1 Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Liquigas
2 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Liquigas
3 Andrea No (Ita) Liquigas
Re: Giro d’Italia
Stage tomorrow should be an interesting one. I am expecting my man Ricco to be prominent tomorrow with the uphill finish. Not a severe test but it should give us a good form guide for later in the race with more mountain stages. Here is the descripion of the stage from cyclenews.com
Stage 4 starts south of Naples in Salerno, the capital of Campania province, then heads due-east on the beautiful, dramatic roads of the Amalfi Coast. It then turns tail towards the west, across the southern hinterlands of Naples, through the Soprano Family’s home town of Avellino before the final climb to Montevergine di Mercogliano. The twisting final ascent over 17.1 kilometres is where Damiano Cunego won in 2004 and once again, the Lampre-Fondital rider will be the man to beat on Stage 4.
Re: Giro d’Italia
It’s tailor made for Di Luca. I wish you had my knowledge of cycling piper - then you could share in all my winnings for Di Luca. Ricc might do ok tomorrow but he’ll be found out later.
Re: Giro d’Italia
I suspect the final point might be true for both riders.
Re: Giro d’Italia
Huge crash in the peleton today. Cyclists were travelliong very slowly and one tumbled followed by about half the peleton. 90 per cent of peleton were affected. Three riders are currently away and Saunier Duval are only ones chasing the gap of three minutes down. Big and final climb starting soon.
Re: Giro d’Italia
Another crash in the peleton which affected both Axel Merxc and Nicolas Roche (a little strange). Both are trying to get back to peleton now.
Re: Giro d’Italia
Why is it strange that Merxc and Roche crashed - because they’re sons of famous cyclists or some more sinister reason?
Re: Giro d’Italia
A Di Luca, Ricco one two. Cracking stage where the field got really blown apart gradually over last 10km by Liquigas who looked strong throughout. Funny that the Eurosport commentator was telling us all how Di Luca was struggling all day and then he pops up with the stage victory. Other teams tried to up the pace dramatically and irregularly in order to discomfort the rhtymic style of Di Luca. Ricco looked good but didn’t have the power to take Di Luca in the end. This could be the high points for both riders Giro I fear though. A fascinating stage.
Re: Giro d’Italia
The former. Strange wasn’t a great choice of word I admit. Watch the highlights tonight rock. Really enjoyable hour’s viewing for me today.
Re: Giro d’Italia
I can’t believe you watch Giro d’Italia, piper. You have absolutely no interest in the Nissan Classic. And you like pizza too probably. And you were there on holiday. You big italianophile.
Re: Giro d’Italia
I would be repulsed at any other ties between Ireland and Italy though Bandage. In fact it would make me physically sick.
Re: Giro d’Italia
Super stuff from Di Luca, I wish more people listened to me at the start. We could all be sharing in this excitement. Good performance from your man Ricco as well though Piper. The problem for Ricco is he’ll be at best a lone force in the mountains - that’s if he’s not made work for the team. Di Luca has a team supporting him.
Re: Giro d’Italia
[quote=therock67 ]
Super stuff from Di Luca, I wish more people listened to me at the start. We could all be sharing in this excitement. Good performance from your man Ricco as well though Piper. The problem for Ricco is he’ll be at best a lone force in the mountains - that’s if he’s not made work for the team. Di Luca has a team supporting him.
[/quote] ;
I think Di Luca could struggle in tougher mountain stages though rock. He powered his way to the victory today and will I imgagine will do well in time trails. When the tougher stages come it remains to be seen how he can do with drastic changes of pace over a sustained period. Liquigas have looked like the strongest team so far and this will be of huge benefit to Di Luca no doubt. Not sure he is their only concern though. As for Ricco he looked comftorbale today but didn’t have the gas at the end of the stage. Simoni gave him the all clear to go for the stage today but Ricco will probably have to work for him more in other stages rather than concentrating on his own personal performance.
Re: Giro d’Italia
Here is a link to the final km if anyone wants to watch it.
http://www.media.rai.it/mpmedia/0,,Sport^25031,00.html
I’m a bit more optimistic about Ricco’s GC chances after reading his quotes below. I didn’t know Simoni lost 30 odd seconds. A few other big names lost a bit of time today also.
Stage 4 - Wednesday, May 16: Salerno - Montevergine Di Mercogliano, 153 km
The Killer returns to Montevergine
Di Luca conquers Montevergine after six years and re-takes the Maglia Rosa
By Gregor Brown and Tim Maloney
Liquigas did a number on the final ascent of Montevergine by propelling Danilo Di Luca to the win and, at the same time, into the leader’s Maglia Rosa. On a stage he first won in 2001, “The Killer” launched his sprint in the final 200 metres to hold off a strong Riccardo Ricc (Saunier Duval-Prodir). Damiano Cunego (Lampre-Fondital) finished some seconds back, in third.
“It was really a beautiful stage. Thanks to the team for doing all that work,” said the 31 year-old after the stage. It was due to the work of Liquigas, and the unfortunate crash of teammate Enrico Gasparotto, that Di Luca moved back into the race lead.
Liquigas started its work on the Montevergine di Mercogliano after Saunier Duval had led all day. With the early escape trio (Pavel Brutt, Yuriy Krivtsov, and Markel Irizar) caught, the Italian team brought in the late move by Julio Prez (Ceramica Panaria-Navigare). The three-time Giro stage winner tried a dig that started with nine kilometres remaining.
“I tried hard today, but I felt bad in the finale,” said an exhausted Prez. The Mexican gave up with 800 metres to the line. “It was too bad.”
Di Luca launched with Ricc on his wheel with 200 metres remaining. The Saunier Duval rider was not able to profit from the work of his team but he showed a great pair of legs behind the Liquigas leader.
“I remained a little closed,” noted the 23 year-old from Modena. “Di Luca went and I remained a little bit behind. But, overall, the climb went well for me. For me and [Team Captain Gilberto] Simoni it was a confirmation of good form. Second place is good for me, and from here it will get better.”
“I am really tired,” confirmed Simoni, who lost a little bit of time to Di Luca. “Today was truly tired. Di Luca’s team did a number. … Ricc did well with second but Di Luca was just amazing today.”
The last winner of Montevergine, Cunego, followed behind the front duo to take third. His Lampre-Fondital team did not control the stage like Saunier or Liquigas but it chose to play a defensive role, one that could help Cunego in the third week.
“Today felt good but Di Luca and Ricc were very strong,” noted Cunego, catching his breath in the mist that surrounded Montevergine. “I was left a little behind at the finish but later on in the week the climbers, like me, should move up the classification.”
Due to a light rain the roads became slick and crashes followed. Gasparotto was the victim of a crash with World Champion Paolo Bettini (Quickstep-Innergetic) with just under 75 kilometres to go. As a result, Gasparotto was unable to defend his race lead although he did continue racing. Bettini looked worse.
“It is the same zone as I had hit in Tirreno, more or less,” confirmed a tired-looking Bettini at the finish. “The roads were very slippery. Gasparotto crashed; I crashed. Yet, another time for this year, I hope I will go well from here. … I feel okay and the Giro is long; I will try again.”
How it unfolded
After a transfer from Sardinia and rest day on the Italian mainland, 192 riders departed on the lungomare (or seafront) in Salerno, along it’s eponymously named Gulf under bright, sunny skies at 1:15 PM. The riders took it easy the first hour as they cruised at 30 km/h along the twisting coast road of the Costa Amalfitana, considered one of the most beautiful drives in the world.
Liquigas was in command on the front for Maglia Rosa Gasparotto, who was likely to lose his pink tunic atop the climb to the Santuario di Montevergine di Mercogliano.
After 33 kilometres, approaching the famous fishing village of Positano, Ag2r’s Krivtsov made a move and was quickly joined by opportunistic Tinkoff rider Pavel Brutt, who was wearing the Maglia Verde of best climber and was looking to score more points out front.
Five kilometres later, Euskaltel-Euskadi’s Markel Irizar got across and it was the right combination. 10 kilometres later, near S. Agata sui due Golfi, the climb to the day’s first GPM began; the front trio had gained three minutes on the disinterested peloton, who seemed more attuned in the gorgeous scenery than controlling the break.
Atop the first GPM at Picco S.Angelo. after 51 kilometres, it was Brutt who bruted his in front of his break companions. As the trio passed through Termini at the tip of the peninsula, with the Isola di Capri in the background, it held a four minute lead. The break was working well together as they headed east towards the southern suburbs of Napoli.
As the clouds rolled in from the Gulf of Napoli Saunier Duval-Prodir took over the tempo on the front to keep the break close and give their rider Ricc a shot at the stage win atop Montevergine di Mercogliano.
The skies darkened along the Costa Sorrentina and after 80 kilometres in Castellamare di Stabia, the break still had a four-minute lead. A few drops of rain began to fall and the roads were quickly soaked for the gruppo. Oil quickly rose to the surface, making it slick as ice.
In S. Antonio Abate, after 88 kilometres, there was a mass crash in the gruppo with at least of half of the riders hitting the deck, some of them hard. The victims included Maglia Rosa Gasparotto, Maglia Ciclamino Petacchi, Cunego and World Champion Bettini. Worst off was Ian McLeod (Franaise Des Jeux), who broke his collarbone and had to abandon. Bettini also was hurt; he broke his bike and had to make a change. He then had a long painful chase back to the gruppo with his Quickstep teammates Engels and Scarselli, punctuated by several visits to the race doctor’s car.
The World Champion had crashed on his lower left ribcage, exactly where he had crashed into traffic sign during Tirreno-Adriatico.
The quick showers had stopped as the race traversed the grimy hinterlands of Napoli on the way to the mountaintop finish, but as the gruppo maintained a slow tempo after the crash, everybody, but McLeod, got back on. Up front with 60 kilometres still to race, the breaks lead had ballooned to 5’50"; the front trio had gained two minutes from the crash and eventually got their biggest lead of the stage - 6’40" at the feed zone after 92 kilometres.
However, Saunier Duval meant business and the yellow clad team cranked up the pace. At the Garibaldi sprint at Castel S. Giorgio, there was no contest as Irizar rolled through. Saunier Duval-Prodir was cranking up the pace as the road gradient rose towards Avellino, hometown of Tony Soprano’s Italian ancestors. The front trio’s lead had fallen by two minutes in 15 kilometres and it struggled to stay ahead of the charging gruppo.
Benot Joachim (Astana) and Axel Merckx (T-Mobile) hit the deck in Avellino.
As the 20 hairpin curves of ascent to the Santuario began, the lead of the escapees was down to two minutes and falling fast as Acqua e Sapone took over from Saunier Duval, while Ceramica Panaria was lurking near the front for magic Mexican Prez Cuapio.
Up front, Brutt busted off of the break solo with 15 kilometres to go. As the gruppo began the ascent to the Santuario, there was a lot of shifting for position as the riders ascended the steady four percent gradient at 30km/h. Liquigas had taken over the forcing on the front of the gruppo, led by Charles and an elegant looking Vincenzo Nibali in the Maglia Bianca of best young rider.
At 10 kilometres to go, Brutt was finally pulled back by his two break buddies. One kilometre later, T-Mobile’s Rabon took off from the gruppo and got a gap, which provoked a massive move from the magic Mexican, Julio Prez.
The Panaria man powered a huge gear off the front and caught the break with a two-kilometre burst. He passed them to move into the stage lead. The break had lasted 112 kilometres.
Cofidis rider Steve Zampieri was next to attack while Liquigas kept the pressure on. Predictor-Lotto’s Cioni bridged to Zampieri, as well as Lampre’s Marzano, Panaria’s Emanuele Sella, Quickstep’s Visconti and Aitor Prez Arrieta of Caisse d’Epargne.
At five kilometres to go, Prez Cuapio had a 20-second lead over the gruppo which had absorbed the small Cioni-group under the impulsion of Saunier Duval’s Piepoli. Panaria was playing the team game perfectly as Sella was covering the moves on the front.
The next two kilometres would be crucial for the magic Mexican who powered his 53x19 through the hairpin turns up to the Santuario. Although he tried to hang tough, World Champion Bettini dropped off from the now 25-strong gruppo.
With just two thousand metres left to race, Prez Cuapio was gritting his teeth, hanging tough with a lead of 20" and it looked like he might hold on. However, the Liquigas train was at full throttle. Maglia Bianca Nibali was flying in front of the now 10-man chase group and the Mexican’s magic just wasn’t enough to hold off the acid green wave of Liquigas.
Next up was for Liquigas was Pellizotti. The curly-haired rider rode a perfect uphill lead-out for Di Luca, simply shredding the competition. With 200 metres to go, ‘The Killer’ showed how he earned his nickname with a brilliant uphill sprint for the stage win, just ahead of emerging young rider Ricc of Saunier Duval and Cunego.
Ricc’s teammate Simoni lost about 20" in the frantic finish, while Astana leader Savoldelli lost 40". Di Luca took over the Maglia Rosa, while Liquigas has the first four places on GC with Di Luca, Pellizotti, old man No and young talent Nibali.
The Sprinters will be ready for Stage 5, from Teano in the northern suburbs of Napoli. It runs up and down along the farm roads of Frosinone province to finish just south of Rome in the beautiful wine city of Frascati. But with the climb of Le Macere just 15 kilometres from the finish, look for World Champion Paolo Bettini to go on the attack in his search for revenge.
Results
1 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Liquigas 4.22.42
2 Riccardo Ricco (Ita) Saunier Duval - Prodir
3 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - Fondital
4 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team CSC 0.03
5 Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo
6 Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Liquigas 0.06
7 Luca Mazzanti (Ita) Ceramica Panaria - Navigare
8 David Arroyo Duran (Spa) Caisse d’Epargne 0.07
9 Emanuele Sella (Ita) Ceramica Panaria - Navigare 0.13
10 David Zabriskie (USA) Team CSC
11 Julio Alberto Perez Cuapio (Mex) Ceramica Panaria - Navigare 0.15
12 Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Lampre - Fondital
13 Sylvester Szmyd (Pol) Lampre - Fondital
14 Leonardo Piepoli (Ita) Saunier Duval - Prodir
15 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Saunier Duval - Prodir
16 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas
17 Francisco Javier Vila Errandonea (Spa) Lampre - Fondital
18 Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Lampre - Fondital
19 Andrea Noe’ (Ita) Liquigas
20 Amal Moinard (Fra) Cofidis - Le Crdit par Tlphone 0.34
21 Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2r Prvoyance
22 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2r Prvoyance
23 Dionisio Galparsoro Martinez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
24 Evgeni Petrov (Rus) Tinkoff Credit System
25 Wim Van Huffel (Bel) Predictor - Lotto
26 Jos Luis Rubiera Vigil (Spa) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
27 Dario David Cioni (Ita) Predictor - Lotto
28 Ivan Ramiro Parra Pinto (Col) Cofidis - Le Crdit par Tlphone
29 Volodymir Gustov (Ukr) Team CSC
30 Aitor Perez Arrieta (Spa) Caisse d’Epargne
31 Branislau Samoilau (Blr) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo
32 Iban Mayo Diez (Spa) Saunier Duval - Prodir
33 Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Ceramica Panaria - Navigare
34 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
35 Serguei Yakovlev (Kaz) Astana
36 Eddy Mazzoleni (Ita) Astana
37 Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) Astana
38 Andrey Mizourov (Kaz) Astana
39 Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Predictor - Lotto 0.57
40 Pablo Lastras Garcia (Spa) Caisse d’Epargne 1.00
41 Christian Knees (Ger) Team Milram
42 Aitor Hernandez Gutierrez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 1.02
43 Massimo Codol (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo
44 Bingen Fernandez Bustinza (Spa) Cofidis - Le Crdit par Tlphone
45 Steve Zampieri (Swi) Cofidis - Le Crdit par Tlphone
46 Marco Pinotti (Ita) T-Mobile Team
47 Mario Aerts (Bel) Predictor - Lotto
48 Jussi Veikkanen (Fin) Franaise des Jeux
49 Alexandr Arekeev (Rus) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo
50 Patrice Halgand (Fra) Crdit Agricole 1.27
51 Hubert Schwab (Swi) Quickstep - Innergetic 1.30
52 David Canada Gracia (Spa) Saunier Duval - Prodir 1.39
53 Christophe Kern (Fra) Crdit Agricole
54 Iban Velasco (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 1.41
55 Francis Mourey (Fra) Franaise des Jeux
56 Mauricio Alberto Ardila Cano (Col) Rabobank
57 Matthew Lloyd (Aus) Predictor - Lotto 1.56
58 Francesco Bellotti (Ita) Crdit Agricole
59 Giuseppe Palumbo (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo
60 Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Quickstep - Innergetic 2.02
61 Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor) Team CSC
62 George Hincapie (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
63 Olivier Bonnaire (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
64 Aketza Pena Iza (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
65 Alberto Losada Alguacil (Spa) Caisse d’Epargne 2.06
66 Ricardo Serrano Gonzalez (Spa) Tinkoff Credit System
67 Dmitriy Muravyev (Kaz) Astana
68 Matthias Russ (Ger) Gerolsteiner
69 William Walker (Aus) Rabobank
70 Josep Jufre Pou (Spa) Predictor - Lotto
71 Volodymyr Bileka (Ukr) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
72 Fortunato Baliani (Ita) Ceramica Panaria - Navigare
73 Marco Marzano (Ita) Lampre - Fondital 2.13
74 Nicolas Crosbie (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 2.25
75 Pietro Caucchioli (Ita) Crdit Agricole 2.32
76 Julien Loubet (Fra) AG2r Prvoyance 2.36
77 Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Team CSC 2.38
78 Yoann Le Boulanger (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
79 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Gerolsteiner 2.40
80 Sergio Ghisalberti (Ita) Team Milram 2.49
81 Pavel Padrnos (Cze) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
82 Charles Wegelius (GBr) Liquigas
83 Brian Vandborg (Den) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
84 Oliver Zaugg (Swi) Gerolsteiner 3.06
85 Carl Naibo (Fra) AG2r Prvoyance 3.47
86 Yuriy Krivtsov (Ukr) AG2r Prvoyance
87 Andrei Kunitski (Blr) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo
88 Koos Moerenhout (Ned) Rabobank
89 Lorenzo Bernucci (Ita) T-Mobile Team 3.57
90 Frantisek Rabon (Cze) T-Mobile Team 4.12
91 Anton Luengo Celaya (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 4.23
92 Mauro Facci (Ita) Quickstep - Innergetic 5.01
93 Paolo Bettini (Ita) Quickstep - Innergetic
94 Leonardo Scarselli (Ita) Quickstep - Innergetic
95 Assan Bazayev (Kaz) Astana
96 Luis Felipe Laverde Jimenez (Col) Ceramica Panaria - Navigare 5.45
97 Vladimir Miholjevic (Cro) Liquigas
98 Alessandro Spezialetti (Ita) Liquigas
99 Alessandro Cortinovis (Ita) Team Milram 7.10
100 Andrea Pagoto (Ita) Ceramica Panaria - Navigare
101 Herv Duclos-Lassalle (Fra) Cofidis - Le Crdit par Tlphone
102 Benat Albizuri Aransolo (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
103 Jurgen Van Goolen (Bel) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
104 Markel Irizar Aranburu (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
105 Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Caisse d’Epargne
106 Mathieu Heijboer (Ned) Cofidis - Le Crdit par Tlphone
107 Matti Breschel (Den) Team CSC
108 Steve Morabito (Swi) Astana
109 Mathieu Perget (Fra) Caisse d’Epargne
110 Laszlo Bodrogi (Hun) Crdit Agricole
111 Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2r Prvoyance
112 Lilian Jgou (Fra) Franaise des Jeux
113 Pavel Brutt (Rus) Tinkoff Credit System 8.32
114 Mikhail Ignatiev (Rus) Tinkoff Credit System 11.06
115 Ivan Rovny (Rus) Tinkoff Credit System
116 Frdric Bessy (Fra) Cofidis - Le Crdit par Tlphone
117 Nick Gates (Aus) Predictor - Lotto
118 Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Quickstep - Innergetic
119 Oscar Gatto (Ita) Gerolsteiner
120 Mickal Buffaz (Fra) Cofidis - Le Crdit par Tlphone
121 Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2r Prvoyance
122 Alexandre Usov (Blr) AG2r Prvoyance
123 Simone Masciarelli (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo
124 Joseba Zubeldia Agirre (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
125 Mirco Lorenzetto (Ita) Team Milram
126 Franck Renier (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
127 Alexandre Pichot (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
128 Gorazd Stangelj (Slo) Lampre - Fondital
129 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Team Milram
130 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Crdit Agricole
131 Martin Mller (Ger) Team Milram
132 Angelo Furlan (Ita) Crdit Agricole
133 Pedro Horrillo Munoz (Spa) Rabobank 11.06.00
134 Thomas Ziegler (Ger) T-Mobile Team
135 Tim Klinger (Ger) Gerolsteiner
136 Alexei Markov (Rus) Caisse d’Epargne
137 Nikolai Trusov (Rus) Tinkoff Credit System
138 Gregory Henderson (NZl) T-Mobile Team
139 Dario Andriotto (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo
140 Arnaud Labbe (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
141 Rubens Bertogliati (Swi) Saunier Duval - Prodir
142 Salvatore Commesso (Ita) Tinkoff Credit System
143 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
144 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team CSC
145 Elio Aggiano (Ita) Tinkoff Credit System
146 Joan Horrach Rippoll (Spa) Caisse d’Epargne
147 Paride Grillo (Ita) Ceramica Panaria - Navigare 14.02.00
148 Benot Joachim (Lux) Astana
149 Fabien Patanchon (Fra) Franaise des Jeux
150 Axel Merckx (Bel) T-Mobile Team
151 Michael Rasmussen (Den) Rabobank
152 Max Van Heeswijk (Ned) Rabobank
153 Michael Blaudzun (Den) Team CSC
154 Alberto Ongarato (Ita) Team Milram
155 Maxim Gourov (Kaz) Astana
156 Raivis Belohvosciks (Lat) Saunier Duval - Prodir
157 Arnaud Grard (Fra) Franaise des Jeux
158 Angel Gomez (Spa) Saunier Duval - Prodir
159 Laurent Mangel (Fra) AG2r Prvoyance
160 Robert Frster (Ger) Gerolsteiner
161 Robbie McEwen (Aus) Predictor - Lotto
162 Aaron Olson (USA) T-Mobile Team
163 Gabriele Balducci (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo
164 Thomas Fothen (Ger) Gerolsteiner
165 Tristan Valentin (Fra) Cofidis - Le Crdit par Tlphone
166 Koldo Fernandez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
167 Nicholas Roche (Irl) Crdit Agricole
168 Matteo Bono (Ita) Lampre - Fondital
169 Matthew White (Aus) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
170 Julian Dean (NZl) Crdit Agricole
171 Sven Krauss (Ger) Gerolsteiner
172 Dmitry Kozontchouk (Rus) Rabobank
173 Brett Lancaster (Aus) Team Milram
174 Maximiliano Richeze (Arg) Ceramica Panaria - Navigare
175 Juan Jos Haedo (Arg) Team CSC
176 Timothy Gudsell (NZl) Franaise des Jeux
177 Cyrille Monnerais (Fra) Franaise des Jeux
178 Addy Engels (Ned) Quickstep - Innergetic
179 Leon Van Bon (Ned) Rabobank 14.02
180 Steven Cummings (GBr) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
181 Yohann Gne (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
182 Manuele Mori (Ita) Saunier Duval - Prodir
183 Pierre Drancourt (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
184 Daniele Contrini (Ita) Tinkoff Credit System 14.24
185 Stefano Zanini (Ita) Predictor - Lotto
186 Danilo Napolitano (Ita) Lampre - Fondital
187 Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Liquigas
188 Alessandro Vanotti (Ita) Liquigas
189 Eric Berthou (Fra) Caisse d’Epargne
190 Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Quickstep - Innergetic 14.45
191 Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Team Milram 15.41
Points
1 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Liquigas 25 pts
2 Riccardo Ricco (Ita) Saunier Duval - Prodir 20
3 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - Fondital 16
4 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team CSC 14
5 Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo 12
6 Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Liquigas 10
7 Luca Mazzanti (Ita) Ceramica Panaria - Navigare 9
8 David Arroyo Duran (Spa) Caisse d’Epargne 8
9 Markel Irizar Aranburu (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 8
10 Emanuele Sella (Ita) Ceramica Panaria - Navigare 7
11 David Zabriskie (USA) Team CSC 6
12 Yuriy Krivtsov (Ukr) AG2r Prvoyance 6
13 Julio Alberto Perez Cuapio (Mex) Ceramica Panaria - Navigare 5
14 Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Lampre - Fondital 4
15 Pavel Brutt (Rus) Tinkoff Credit System 4
16 Sylvester Szmyd (Pol) Lampre - Fondital 3
17 Robbie McEwen (Aus) Predictor - Lotto 3
18 Leonardo Piepoli (Ita) Saunier Duval - Prodir 2
19 Arnaud Labbe (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 2
20 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Saunier Duval - Prodir 1
21 Franck Renier (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 1
Mountains
1 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Liquigas 15 pts
2 Riccardo Ricco (Ita) Saunier Duval - Prodir 10
3 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - Fondital 6
4 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team CSC 4
5 Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo 2
T.V. Garibaldi
1 Markel Irizar Aranburu (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 5 pts
2 Yuriy Krivtsov (Ukr) AG2r Prvoyance 4
3 Pavel Brutt (Rus) Tinkoff Credit System 3
4 Robbie McEwen (Aus) Predictor - Lotto 2
5 Arnaud Labbe (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 1
6 Franck Renier (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
Most combative
1 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Liquigas 6 pts
2 Markel Irizar Aranburu (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 6
3 Riccardo Ricco (Ita) Saunier Duval - Prodir 5
4 Pavel Brutt (Rus) Tinkoff Credit System 5
5 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - Fondital 4
6 Yuriy Krivtsov (Ukr) AG2r Prvoyance 4
7 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team CSC 3
8 Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo 2
9 Robbie McEwen (Aus) Predictor - Lotto 2
10 Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Liquigas 1
11 Arnaud Labbe (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 1
Arruzzi d’Italia
1 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Liquigas 4 pts
2 Riccardo Ricco (Ita) Saunier Duval - Prodir 2
3 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - Fondital 1
Trofeo fast team
1 Liquigas 13.08.27
2 Lampre-Fondital 0.09
3 Saunier Duval-Prodir
4 Ceramica Panaria-Navigare 0.13
5 Team CSC 0.29
6 Acqua & Sapone-Caffe Mokambo 1.18
7 Caisse d’Epargne 1.20
8 Astana 1.21
9 Predictor-Lotto 1.44
10 Cofidis-Le Crdit par Tlphone 1.49
11 Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 2.49
12 Euskaltel-Euskadi 2.56
13 AG2r Prvoyance 3.23
14 Crdit Agricole 4.41
15 Bouygues Telecom 6.44
16 Rabobank 7.13
17 Gerolsteiner 7.31
18 Quickstep-Innergetic 8.12
19 T-Mobile Team 8.50
20 Franaise des Jeux 9.32
21 Team Milram 10.38
22 Tinkoff Credit System 10.51
Trofeo super team
1 Liquigas 42 pts
2 Lampre-Fondital 42
3 Ceramica Panaria-Navigare 36
4 Saunier Duval-Prodir 32
5 Team CSC 28
6 Acqua & Sapone-Caffe Mokambo 16
7 Caisse d’Epargne 13
8 Cofidis-Le Crdit par Tlphone 1
9 AG2r Prvoyance
10 Euskaltel-Euskadi
11 Tinkoff Credit System
12 Predictor-Lotto
13 Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
14 Astana
15 Team Milram
16 T-Mobile Team
17 Franaise des Jeux
18 Crdit Agricole
19 Quickstep-Innergetic
20 Rabobank
21 Bouygues Telecom
22 Gerolsteiner
General classification after stage 4
1 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Liquigas 14.26.10
2 Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Liquigas 0.26
3 Andrea Noe’ (Ita) Liquigas 0.35
4 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas
5 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team CSC 0.53
6 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - Fondital 0.54
7 David Zabriskie (USA) Team CSC 1.03
8 Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) Astana 1.07
9 Eddy Mazzoleni (Ita) Astana
10 Andrey Mizourov (Kaz) Astana
11 Serguei Yakovlev (Kaz) Astana
12 Francisco Javier Vila Errandonea (Spa) Lampre - Fondital 1.17
13 Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Lampre - Fondital
14 Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Lampre - Fondital
15 Sylvester Szmyd (Pol) Lampre - Fondital
16 Volodymir Gustov (Ukr) Team CSC 1.24
17 Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo 1.25
18 Riccardo Ricco (Ita) Saunier Duval - Prodir 1.33
19 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 1.43
20 Jos Luis Rubiera Vigil (Spa) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
21 David Arroyo Duran (Spa) Caisse d’Epargne 1.50
22 Evgeni Petrov (Rus) Tinkoff Credit System 1.58
23 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Saunier Duval - Prodir 2.00
24 Leonardo Piepoli (Ita) Saunier Duval - Prodir
25 Aitor Perez Arrieta (Spa) Caisse d’Epargne 2.17
26 Iban Mayo Diez (Spa) Saunier Duval - Prodir 2.19
27 Wim Van Huffel (Bel) Predictor - Lotto 2.22
28 Dario David Cioni (Ita) Predictor - Lotto
29 Alexandr Arekeev (Rus) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo 2.24
30 Massimo Codol (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo
31 Luca Mazzanti (Ita) Ceramica Panaria - Navigare 2.27
32 Ivan Ramiro Parra Pinto (Col) Cofidis - Le Crdit par Tlphone 2.32
33 Emanuele Sella (Ita) Ceramica Panaria - Navigare 2.34
34 Julio Alberto Perez Cuapio (Mex) Ceramica Panaria - Navigare 2.36
35 Dmitriy Muravyev (Kaz) Astana 2.39
36 Pablo Lastras Garcia (Spa) Caisse d’Epargne 2.43
37 Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Predictor - Lotto 2.45
38 Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor) Team CSC 2.52
39 Christian Knees (Ger) Team Milram 2.53
40 Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Ceramica Panaria - Navigare 2.55
41 Steve Zampieri (Swi) Cofidis - Le Crdit par Tlphone 3.00
42 Bingen Fernandez Bustinza (Spa) Cofidis - Le Crdit par Tlphone
43 Mario Aerts (Bel) Predictor - Lotto 3.05
44 Charles Wegelius (GBr) Liquigas 3.09
45 Marco Pinotti (Ita) T-Mobile Team 3.11
46 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2r Prvoyance
47 Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2r Prvoyance
48 George Hincapie (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
49 Volodymyr Bileka (Ukr) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 3.15
50 Giuseppe Palumbo (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo 3.18
51 Francesco Bellotti (Ita) Crdit Agricole 3.29
52 David Canada Gracia (Spa) Saunier Duval - Prodir 3.30
53 Branislau Samoilau (B
Re: Giro d’Italia
Thanks for that Piper - good clip. Pellizzotti rode very well for Di Luca there.
Re: Giro d’Italia
Arvesen from CSC won the stage today. He was involved in a large breakaway. No real impact on the overall GC. I was surprised to see Ricco was in the breakaway but was ‘asked’ to leave it because he was seen as too much of a danger man. Not sure what he is getting involved in a break away for and though he would be saving his legs for Tuesday’s stage. Perhaps he doesn’t see himself as a GC contender. Simoni who is the the leader of Ricco’s Saunier Duval team was not happy about the break away and said after the stage someon will pay for it. His team and T Mobile had to work hard to keep the time down. I’m not sure if he is angry because Ricco was in the break or because he has slipped from 28th to 36th on the GC after the stage. When this years favourite Cunego won the Giro in 2004 he was on Simoni’s team and Simoni did not help Cunego and anoymosity developed between the two. Perhaps Simoni is fearful of Ricco doing something similar. Eitherway it seemed a strange move for Ricco to make today.
Re: Giro d’Italia
Interesting quotes from Ricco below:
There were some 20 riders in that escape and there was not much agreement," Ricc recalled. “My directeur told me to come back and be with my captain Simoni.” Ricc initially refused to talk when he crossed the finish line, but team captain Gilberto Simoni indicated that there was an order for him to return from the break to the peloton. “I decided on my own to come back; the riders in general did not want me in that escape,” Ricc tried to clarify.
Due to the absence of a Saunier rider and several Liquigas and Lampre men up front, the yellow squad was forced to pull for the majority of the day. “I made a mistake to go back to the group,” Ricc said
Re: Giro d’Italia
Certainly seems to be a conflict there between Ricco and Simoni. Did you say at the start of the race that Ricco was given a free role? Certainly doesn’t seem it now. At the very least it would have required other teams to do something about the break if Ricco was part of it. Even Liquigas who had riders up there might have chased if Ricco was getting too much time.